Re: Rain Rot and Immunosuppression

["Carla J. Newby" <NEWBYCJ@email.msn.com>]

My horse had his 1st case of rain rot this last spring (treated with
Hibiclens).  After the rain rot he got bad respiratory allergies   Low and
behold....... shortly thereafter he started doing some strange things while
I was riding him.  His rear end gave out a couple of times, he
stumbled...............I went to the vet, it was the dreaded EPM.  Rainrot
and allergies came during a time when he was immunosuppressed and the EPM
was developing.  He's been on treatment for EPM for 7 weeks now.  He is
improving and I'm hoping for a recovery.

So, beward of these little annoyances like rain rot.  They may be signaling
something bigger.  At the time, I had no idea what was to come.  But I will
look at these things in a new light from now on, especially when it happens
in a horse that otherwise had never been ill in 14 years.   By the way, my
horse lives in a boarding facility (owner had printed on t-shirts "5-star
horse resort where the grass really is greener")  and gets excellent care
from myself and the owner.

Carla Newby